20 April 1926BOROUGH OF CRESWICKANZAC DAY COMMEMORATIONPROGRAMME FOR SUNDAY, 25th APRIL, 1926The fire-bell will toll at 11 a.m.The proceedings at the Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial will commence at 3 p.m., when wreaths will be placed on the memorial by Lady Peacock and the Mayoress (Miss Cushing). Creswick and District Schools, Returned Soldiers, Lodges, and other organisations and individuals are invited to also place wreaths thereon.The Mayor, Sir Alexander Peacock and Mr. C. P. Howie will address the gathering. The Last Post will be sounded.An adjournment will be made to the Town Hall, when the Honour Roll will be unveiled. THOS. CUSHING, MayorARTHUR B. GROSE, Town Clerk27April 1926ANZAC DAY COMMEMORATIONCRESWICK BOROUGH’S TRIBUTEHONOUR ROLL UNVEILED.The commemoration of Anzac Day in the borough of Creswick was carried out in a fitting manner on Sunday last, being the eleventh anniversary of the memorable landing of the Australian and New Zealand soldiers on the shores of Gallipoli. The Mayor (Cr. T. Cushing) had arranged for a gathering at the Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial, to permit of wreaths being placed on the stone of remembrance, and addresses being given. However, showery weather prevailed, and it was agreed that the later be given in the town hall, where the Honour Roll was to be unveiled. At 11 o’clock in the morning the fire bell was tolled. Flags were flown at half-mastDespite the
unpropitious weather, there was a good attendance of town and country residents
at the memorial in the afternoon. The Mayor announced that the proceedings
there would be brief on account of the rain and cold. He expressed pleasure at
seeing so many present to assist in commemorating the deeds of their boys. Lady
Peacock and the Mayoress (Miss Cushing) would place wreaths on the memorial
ontheir behalf.A large number of
wreaths, crosses, and other floral tributes were deposited on the monument,
after which Mr. Willie Fargher sounded the Last Post.

1927

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1928

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26 April 1929ANZAC DAY AT DEANAnzac Day was worthily celebrated at Dean Higher Elementary School on Wednesday afternoon. The head master, Mr. M. Potts, had made fitting arrangements for a suitable programme of commemoration. Several councillors, two clergymen, and a goodly array or parents were present. Cr. Carter was in the chair.The programme of service included the singing of the National Anthem, reading of names on Honour Roll by the senior Boy prefect, C. Keating, then laying of a wreath on honour Roll by the senior girl prefect, E. Taylor; Bible reading and Lord’s Prayer by Rev. Crigan; singing of the hymn, "O God our help in ages past"; "Song of Australia" by Scholars; speeches by Cr. Carter, Revs. Crigan and Thompson; the singing of Kipling’s "Recessional"; the observance of two minutes’ silence, and the sounding of the “last post.”Cr. Carter in his speech, spoke of the significance of Anzac Day. “We are here to recognise brave deeds. Our men went out with a purpose- to win us freedom. They chose the path of duty and they pursued it. There has, consequently, been entrusted to us a great responsibility. We want the boys and girls to recognise their duty. We desire to instil into you the ideals of service. We want you to remember their brave deeds of service. Keep on the straight track. We sympathise with those who lost loved ones.”Rev. Crigan, by telling the children a story and by exhortation, sought to inspire their hearts with ideas of bravery. Try to be Anzacs; say to yourselves, “I’m not going to let myself be beaten. I can do this thing” Those men did wonderful deeds. Try to emulate them. Be brave even to the attempting of doing the impossible.Rev. E. Thompson, in an historical setting, exhorted the parents to teach their children, so that they might never forget the lessons we should all learn form those days of self-sacrifice. No nation can ever afford to forget about, or to despise, the ladder by which it has climbed to higher things. The inspiration gained by our contemplating the self-sacrificing and noble deeds of the Anzacs should lift us into an ampler clearer air. Those deeds are a very prominent landmark in our national history. Those deeds should make us loathe that spirit of personal aggrandisement which makes war possible. We may loathe the spirit and at the same time pray for, and love, even our enemies. And let us never forget that our destiny is governed by our attitude towards the God of nations and individuals! Let us therefore teach our children these things and they will help both the pupil and the teacher.

8 April 1930Anzac DayThere was a good attendance at the Town Hall last Thursday evening for the meeting called by the Mayor to arrange a suitable program for the observance of Anzac Day. A committee consisting of the Mayor with Messrs D. J. Duggan, J. C. Irvine, (president and secretary of the Creswick R. S. A), C. P. Howie and Rev. Fr. O’Rourke, W. O. Warnock, J. McD. Forsyth and L. U. Alley, was appointed to arrange the final program. Returned Soldiers, members of the Father’s Association, the Fire Brigade (in uniform), Girl Guides, and school children, headed by the Ballarat Orphanage Band will form up at Davis’ bridge at 10.40 and march to the memorial where wreaths will be placed on the column and the ceremony will be carried out. The Last Post will be sounded by a military trumpeter. Mr. C. P. Howie is the secretary of this committee.

29 April 1930ANZAC DAYOBSERVANCE AT CRESWICKFifteen years back from last Friday the deeds and heroism of the first Anzac Day set the world to marvel at the men from Australia, men who kept up their good name through the remaining three and a half years of that war.Little wonder that Australians who pause and think, find cause for pride in being Australian; but there is something deeper than that to be found in the stories of that service, something finer as speakers emphasised in the services in observance of Anzac Day last Friday.At Creswick the attendance at the memorial in Albert street was excellent.Headed by the Ballarat Orphanage Band, Returned Soldiers, members of the Fathers’ Association, school children and others, with Mr. C. W. Frost as marshal, marched in procession from Davie’s Bridge through Albert street to the Memorial column where the Girl Guides marked the position for the procession to form up on. Dozens of beautiful wreaths were laid on the column , and the gathering joined in the singing of well known hymns during the service. The Mayor (Cr. W. S. Northcott) said he was glad that so many had remembered those who went away and made freedom possible- those men who performed the seemingly impossible task of storming the heights of Gallipoli. It devolves on us to carry on and to make Australia in their honour, the finest country in the world.

AT THE SCHOOLSAs schools were closed on Friday, most teachers gave special lessons or addresses on Thursday.Mr. Hewitson, of Creswick, addressed the children at Dean school and Mr. W. S. Northcott at Springmount. At Creswick School on Thursday the occasion was celebrated in a simple but effective manner. After saluting the Flag the head teacher said that Anzac Day was to all a day of sorry, especially to soldiers because of the memory of lost comrades, but also a day of pride because it showed that the Australian, when tried, was not found wanting. He pictured the assembly of ships in Mudros Harbor on the eve of the landing and the quiet and orderly taking up of positions in the darkness of the Sunday morning. In a few words he described the hardships and sufferings of the men among the heat, the flies and also among the Gallipoli frosts and snows. As a typical example of heroic sacrifice he told the story of Murphy and his donkey- a story to stir the hearts of all. He urged the children to try to make themselves worthy of the sacrifices made and quoted the following lines:- “Sons of this place, let this of you be said-That ye who live are worthy of your dead;They gave their lives that we who here might reapA richer harvest ere we fall asleep”On a war memorial in Dunolly he had noted an inscription which appeared specially fitting:-“Pass not this stone with sorrow, but with prideAnd strive to do your duty as they who nobly died.”The children stood with bowed heads while the names of all old scholars who had made the great sacrifice were read out. Appropriate recitations were rendered by the pupils.

Ode of Remembrance

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow oldAge shall not weary them, nor the years condemnAt the going down of the sun and in the morningWe will remember them